ABC Fitness and Truemed partner to unlock healthcare funds for eligible fitness investments

Dallas, Texas, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ABC Fitness, a global leader in fitness technology solutions, has announced a new partnership with Truemed, a healthcare payment provider that enables eligible Americans to use their Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds for qualified medical expenses. This partnership is set to broaden access to root-cause health interventions, making fitness for eligible Americans more financially attainable through ABC Fitness' network of nearly 10,000 gyms and studios in the US.
Through this collaboration, tens of millions of Americans could qualify to have their fitness expenses paid in new ways, leveraging pre-tax dollars from their HSA and FSA accounts. With many Americans having a legitimate medical need to have greater access to health and fitness services, this initiative allows for more of them to prioritize their health without some of the financial barriers.
Khal Rai, President, ABC Fitness said: 'Partnering with Truemed allows us to make fitness more accessible to qualifying individuals by removing barriers and leveling the playing field. Now, more gyms and studios in the US can provide a more convenient process for members to qualify to use pre-tax funds for their gym memberships, training programs, and other qualified services—empowering them to take control of their health in a more affordable way.'
ABC Fitness is the largest fitness tech company in the US, supporting fitness businesses across all 50 states, spanning metropolitan, urban, and suburban communities. With this partnership, access to fitness services will be unmatched, enabling more Americans than ever before to visit the gym and invest in their health.
Truemed works by partnering with brands, merchants, and a network of healthcare practitioners to evaluate customers' eligibility for HSA/FSA use, potentially allowing them to use their pre-tax funds for qualifying gym memberships, fitness programs, and other qualified health-related expenses.
'At Truemed, we believe that being healthy should be accessible and affordable for everyone,' said Justin Mares, Founder, Truemed. 'By teaming up with ABC Fitness, we're making it easier than ever for qualified Americans to use the money they've already set aside for health expenses to invest in their fitness. The future of healthcare is proactive, and fitness is a key part of that equation.'
This partnership reinforces ABC Fitness and Truemed's shared commitment to making healthy living more attainable for all. As the fitness and healthcare industries continue to evolve, this collaboration represents a major step toward integrating health investments into everyday life, ensuring that more Americans can take advantage of the benefits of exercise without financial strain.
To learn more about how this partnership can benefit your gym or fitness business, visit https://www.truemed.com/abc-fitness.
About ABC Fitness
ABC Fitness is the number one technology provider for fitness businesses everywhere. Simplifying club and member management for 40+ years via scalable solutions, ABC Fitness' innovations transform fitness visions into seamless reality. From personal trainers, boutique studios, and gyms, to international franchise health clubs, ABC Fitness provides the technology and industry insights needed to move your business forward. ABC Fitness currently supports more than 40 million members and 30K+ fitness businesses globally, processing over $12 billion in payments every year. Learn more at abcfitness.com.
About Truemed
truemed.com.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Miami Herald

27 minutes ago

• Miami Herald

Another Fed official reveals when you might expect interest rate cuts

There's been a bit of a kerfuffle among Federal Reserve Board officials over the forecast for interest rate cuts. These are the same rate cuts that rattle and roll every aspect of the U.S. economy right down to your household. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter These interest rates are having a moment from consumer wallets and price increases to mortgage rates and housing starts to Treasury bonds and investments. Related: Fed official sends shocking message on interest rate cuts Millions of Americans – including President Donald Trump – want immediate relief. Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell urges patience as the full impact of Trump's tariffs and trade wars pass through inflation and employment numbers over the next three months. Hours after a Fed governor called for more immediate action in a move that gobsmacked Fed and market watchers, another Fed official chimed in with an the sixth month in a row, the central bank opted to hold the Federal Funds Rate steady at 4.25%-4.50% at its June meeting last week. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the expected lagging impact of tariff inflation on the economy's supply chain, while likely short term, led to the prudent waiting period. Trump's proposed tariffs – essentially an external sales tax to U.S. trading partners that we pay one way or another – face a July 9 deadline. Data shows the overall U.S. economy is "solid,'' Powell said at the June meeting. The Fed's biannual Monetary Policy Report to Congress, released June 20, supports this assertion. "Growth in private domestic final demand was moderate, reflecting a modest increase in consumer spending and a jump in capital spending,'' the report said. "However, measures of household and business sentiment have declined this year amid concerns about the effects of higher tariffs on inflation and employment as well as heightened uncertainty about the economic outlook.'' The Fed's dual mandate: prudent monetary policy that keeps both inflation and unemployment relatively stable to avoid a recession or worse. The Federal Open Meeting Committee controls the Federal Funds Rate, which banks charge each other overnight to borrow money. The funds rate is tied to the cost of borrowing money for consumers, investors and businesses. Related: Forget tariffs, Fed interest rate cuts may hinge on another problem The Federal Open Meeting Committee said July 18 it would keep the Federal Funds Rate at 4.25% to 4.50% for June. Data over the next few months will indicate if the Fed will decide on two or fewer rate cuts in 2025, portfolio manager Chris Versace said in a TheStreet Pro post after the FOMC released its quarterly "dot plot" on July 18. The Fed continues "to telegraph that two 25-basis point rate cuts remain on the table for this year,'' Versace wrote. Both Fed and market watchers forecast the next probable rate cut could appear at the September FOMC meeting. San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly concurred with the FOMC and Powell. In a July 20 interview with CNBC, Daly said monetary policy is in "a good place." Inflation is coming down, which is "great news for American families." Daly took the long walk with Powell's slower stance. "Rate cuts might be necessary in the fall,'' Daly said. The FOMC meets in September. In a contrarian viewpoint, Fed Governor Christopher Waller, a Trump appointee, said the same day that a cut could come as early as July. The current economic data "has been fine" and the tariff inflation bump may follow historical trends to prove transitory in the short term, Waller said in a CNBC interview. "I don't think it's going to be very big," Waller said. His July forecast shocked Fed and market watchers. Both he and Daly agreed attention must be paid to the tariff impact on the jobs market. More Federal Reserve: Fed interest rate cut decision resets forecasts for the rest of this yearFederal Reserve prepares strong message on long-term interest ratesFed official revamps interest-rate cut forecast for this year "Additional softening could turn into weakening. We don't want to see that," Daly said. If it does, Waller said the Fed could pause the rate cut process. "We'll be very interested in the inflation commentary contained in Monday's Flash June PMI data from S&P Global,'' Versace wrote in his TheStreet Weekly Roundup. "Should those comments for input and output prices show rising pressures compared to April and May, they would support Powell's assertion for what's to come.'' The widely watched CME FedWatch tool puts the likelihood of a July cut in the Federal Funds Rate at 10.3% The Fed last cut the Federal Funds Rate in December 2024. The FOMC's next meeting is July 29-30, 2025. Related: Fed official revamps interest-rate cut forecast for rest of this year The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.

The Hill

an hour ago

• The Hill

Thanks to imported drugs, America has lost control of its medicine cabinet

America is facing a growing crisis in its medical system — not from a lack of talent or innovation, but from a breakdown in the control, safety and supply of essential medicines. Our growing reliance on imports is now driving serious drug shortages, destabilizing supply chains and increasingly making medications unsafe. At the root of it is a hard truth: We no longer have control of the medicines we depend on every day. In 2002, America manufactured 83.7 percent of the pharmaceuticals it consumed. By 2024, that number had dropped to just 37.1 percent. Meanwhile, the U.S. pharmaceutical trade deficit has soared, reaching a record $118.3 billion in 2024. We didn't just outsource manufacturing — we outsourced the sovereignty and safety of our health care system. This means that nearly two-thirds of America's pharmaceutical supplies are now imported. Most critical medications, such as generic drugs, now come from China and India. China controls 80 to 90 percent of the global supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients — the chemical building blocks of modern medicine. Even drugs labeled 'Made in the USA' often chemically originate in China. And India, which produces about half of America's finished generic drugs, relies on China for up to 80 percent of its active pharmaceutical not a supply chain — it's a ticking time something goes wrong, American patients suffer. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration shut down a single Indian plant responsible for 50 percent of the U.S. supply of cisplatin, a critical chemotherapy drug, after uncovering a 'cascade of failure' in safety practices and shredded documents soaked in acid. With no domestic backup, patients nationwide had their treatments delayed. That wasn't a fluke. 40 percent of U.S. generic drugs have only one FDA-approved manufacturer. Because of that single chokepoint, when one factory fails, the whole system can crack. We are now seeing widespread drug shortages across the medical system. Hospital pharmacists report an average of 301 critical drug shortages at any given time. And 85 percent say these shortages are moderately or critically affecting care. Doctors often lack crucial medicines such as antibiotics, sedatives and cancer drugs. These aren't obscure drugs. They're foundational medicines. But America no longer makes them. Even when imported drugs do arrive, they're not always safe. A 2025 study found that Indian generics are 54 percent more likely to cause serious side effects than their U.S.-made counterparts. Indian factory violations have also been tied to at least eight U.S. patient deaths. China's record is equally disturbing. In 2008, dozens of Americans died after receiving contaminated heparin from Chinese suppliers. This isn't what the American people want. In a national survey, 85 percent of hospital pharmacists said they would pay more for safer generics. But under today's rules, price overshadows quality. Hospitals have little oversight of drug quality — and foreign producers face few consequences for cutting corners. Even the federal government is flying blind. A 2023 Department of Defense review found that 22 percent of essential military-use drugs had unknown ingredient sourcing. That's a national security April, the Trump administration took a necessary step by launching an investigation into generic pharmaceutical imports that correctly frames the issue as a national security threat. But that recognition alone isn't enough. To address this crisis, Washington should impose targeted tariffs on generic drugs from adversarial nations. It must also rebuild domestic pharmaceutical production through tax credits and long-term contracts. America urgently needs full transparency in drug labeling to disclose where drugs and their ingredients are made. The FDA must step up — with stronger enforcement abroad and a ban on imports from repeat safety violators. And to secure critical ingredients during market disruptions, Washington must pursue a long-term vision that includes a 'strategic pharmaceutical reserve.' This isn't just protectionism. It's a restoration of America's medical security. No nation can call itself sovereign if it can't produce its own medicines, and no patient is safe if their health care depends on quality control in a factory 8,000 miles decades, we were told that offshoring production would make things cheaper, smoother and more efficient. But America can no longer depend on unstable foreign suppliers. It's time to restore our pharmaceutical independence and take back control of our medicine cabinet. Andrew Rechenberg is an economist at the Coalition for a Prosperous America.

Yahoo

2 hours ago

• Yahoo

If You're Struggling With Constipation, These 5 Foods And Drinks May Be To Blame

Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint, affecting millions of Americans of all ages. Prevalent as it may be, it's an unpleasant issue that you'd probably prefer to avoid. And what you eat can either help or hinder things in the poop department. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, you're typically considered constipated when you're passing 'small amounts of hard, dry stool, usually fewer than three times a week.' But when it comes to poop frequency, the normal range is pretty wide: anywhere from three times a day to three times a week. So consider what's a deviation from your usual pattern. Constipation is about more than just frequency of bowel movements, though. Other symptoms include pain or difficulty pooping, feeling like you haven't fully emptied your bowels, bloating, sluggishness and stomach discomfort. Most people deal with short-term constipation at one point or another. Chronic constipation, however, is an ongoing issue that can negatively affect your quality of life and lead to complications, like hemorrhoids or fecal impaction, if left untreated. When you're constipated, you might also experience bloating, sluggishness and stomach discomfort. You may become constipated due to dehydration, lack of exercise, changes to your routine (such as travel), stress, certain medications and health conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. But below, we'll focus on some of the ways your diet could be contributing to your constipation woes. The main takeaway: Foods that are high in fat but low in fiber tend to be the worst offenders. No one specific food or drink is likely to cause constipation on its own for most individuals — however, your daily eating habits can worsen an existing issue, according to Medical News Today. We asked experts — including gastro doctors and dietitians — to explain which foods and drinks you might want to consider cutting back on when you're backed up and why. Refined grains 'Refined grains like white bread, white pasta and white rice are known to be binding and can contribute to constipation,' registered dietitian Stefani Sassos, nutrition and fitness director for the Good Housekeeping Institute, told HuffPost. 'This is due to the fact that they are lower in fiber than whole grains.' Baked goods such as pastries, cookies and cakes, as well as crackers and flour tortillas fall under this umbrella, as well. With refined grains, the fiber our bodies need to facilitate digestion is stripped away during the milling process. 'Fiber promotes regularity by helping food move through your digestive system,' gastroenterologist Dr. Supriya Rao previously told HuffPost. 'This is because fiber absorbs water and bulks up stools, making them easier to pass.' Cheese and dairy products Related: Invent The Next Big Soda Flavor — Will It Be Delicious Or The Next Big Disaster? Cheese is low in fiber and high in fat, which can worsen constipation. Dairy products like cheese tend to be high in fat, yet low in fiber, which can make constipation worse, gastroenterologist Dr. Rabia A. De Latour told HuffPost. For those with a lactose intolerance, consuming dairy products typically leads to diarrhea and gas. But according to a 2022 literature review, about 30% of lactose-intolerant individuals experience constipation after eating dairy. Red meat Related: Warning: This Ice Cream Generator Is Highly Addictive — What Delicious Or Disastrous Flavor Will You Create? Red meat, such as beef and pork, these kinds It is also rich in protein, the most satiating macronutrient. This means you might feel full after eating that steak or burger, making you less likely to reach for high-fiber foods like fruits and veggies. Fried foods French fries, fried chicken, mozzarella sticks and other fried fare can make you more backed up. 'Fried, greasy foods are very high in fat and can be hard for the body to digest, contributing to constipation,' Sassos explained. 'Plus, they often are void of fiber.' For other folks, these kinds of foods may lead to more urgent and looser stools — it really depends on the individual and the other components of their diet. Alcohol Booze is another one that causes different GI symptoms for different people. For many individuals, a night of drinking leads to soft stool or diarrhea. In other cases, it can have a constipating effect. If you're backed up, Dr. Kenneth Josovitz — a Virginia gastroenterologist with Gastro Health — recommends avoiding alcohol, 'which can cause dehydration and worsen constipation.' So why does alcohol have this effect? Alcohol suppresses the release of vasopressin, a hormone which helps your body hold onto fluids by telling the kidneys to reabsorb water, rather than excrete it. 'That [suppression] is why people will pee more when they drink,' gastroenterologist Dr. Sunana Sohi previously told HuffPost. 'The alcohol is making them pee out all the water in their body, and so they get dehydrated and then constipated because of it.' How To Alleviate Constipation In addition to cutting back on the aforementioned foods and drinks, try to incorporate more high-fiber foods into your diet to help you stay regular. Women should aim to consume at least 25 grams of fiber a day, De LaTour said. For men, that number is about 38 grams per day. Sassos recommends foods like raspberries, apples and pears with the skin on, lentils, beans, broccoli, leafy greens and nuts. Prunes, known for their laxative properties, can also be a good at-home remedy to try, she said. 'If you're not used to eating prunes and fiber-rich foods, start with one to two prunes per day,' Sassos said. 'You can work your way up to five or six as tolerated. Prune juice can be effective too, especially warm prune juice since warm liquids in general can speed up digestive motility.' When increasing your fiber intake, go about it slowly and be sure to drink enough water, she advised. 'We need adequate hydration to help fiber digest properly in the body,' Sassos said. 'If you don't drink enough water, high-fiber foods may actually constipate you even more.' Incorporating more high-fiber foods like leafy greens can help relieve constipation. To ease constipation, you can also try drinking a cup of tea as 'the hot temperature speeds up the motility and the caffeine stimulates the bowels,' Josovitz suggested. Reducing stress and exercising can help get things moving as well, he added. Sassos also emphasized the importance of physical activity in keeping you regular. 'Even a short 10-to 15-minute walk after a meal can help,' she said. The occasional bout of constipation typically resolves on its own with minor lifestyle adjustments. But in other cases, constipation may warrant a visit to your doctor — especially if it's coupled with significant abdominal pain. 'You should seek medical attention if the constipation is new, severe, lasts more than a few weeks, or comes with bleeding, weight loss or weakness,' Josovitz advised. This post originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in Food: "Over Time, It Starves The Brain": Neurologists Shared The Foods They Would Never, Ever Eat And Why Also in Food: People Are Sharing Their Go-To Food Hacks They're Shocked More Home Cooks Don't Already Know Also in Food: People Are Revealing The Homemade Food Items That Cost Less And Taste Better Than Store-Bought, And I'm Taking Copious Notes